TITLE
A Resolution of the Council of the County of Allegheny authorizing pursuit of a Tax Increment Financing Plan in Moon Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
BODY
Whereas, Pennsylvania's Tax Increment Financing Act, 53 P.S. §6930.1 et seq., (the “Act”) provides local taxing bodies authority to cooperate in providing financing for development of blighted areas within their respective jurisdictions in order to increase the tax base, provide new employment opportunities and improve the general economy; and
Whereas, under the Act the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County (“RAAC”) may prepare a Tax Increment Financing (“TIF”) Plan to provide financing for the elimination and prevention of the development or spread of blight within designated tax increment districts located in Allegheny County (the “County”) and to present such Plan to the Allegheny County Council (the “Council”) for consideration; and
Whereas, Eureka Ventures (the “Developer”) is working to construct public infrastructure necessary to facilitate the West Hills Redevelopment (the “Project”) situated within the jurisdiction of Moon Township (the “Township”); and
Whereas, the County is expected to benefit from the use of tax increments to pay certain project costs as defined by the Act, by stimulation of private investment, increases in property values, creation of employment opportunities and improvement of surrounding properties; and
Whereas, the implementation of any TIF Plan is fully dependent on the cooperation and participation of all local taxing bodies, namely the County, the Township, and the Moon Area School District (the “School District”); and
Whereas, the respective governing bodies of the School District and the Township adopted resolutions designating representatives to work on the TIF Committee and cooperate in implementing a TIF Plan with respect to the Project.
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. Exploration of TIF.
The County is willing to explore the use of TIF financing to fund a portion of the cost of the Project, and RAAC is requested to prepare a detailed TIF Plan for a redevelopment area in the Township, as required by the Act.
Section 2. County's Representative.
The Director of Economic Development or his designee is hereby designated as the County's representative to the TIF Committee to work with RAAC, the Township, the School District and any other parties in preparing the TIF Plan, as required by the Act.
Section 3. Cooperative Actions.
The appropriate public officials of the County of Allegheny are hereby directed to take such actions in cooperation with RAAC and any participating taxing bodies in furtherance of the development of an acceptable TIF Plan that will be brought before the Council of the County of Allegheny and to schedule and conduct any and all public hearings required by the Act to permit public comment prior to final approval and implementation of any TIF Plan.
Section 4. Other Actions.
The proper officers of the County are hereby authorized and directed to take such other actions and to execute such other documents as may be necessary or proper to carry out the intent and purpose of this Resolution.
Section 5. Non-Binding.
This resolution is non-binding on the County. The County's participation in the TIF Committee shall not in any way be construed as constituting approval, acceptance, or endorsement of the TIF Plan. The County reserves the right to opt out of the preparation or the participation in any phase of the TIF Plan at any time, with or without cause.
Section 6. Severability. If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Resolution which shall be in full force and effect.
Section 7. Repealer. Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Resolution is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.
SUMMARY FOR WEST HILLS REDEVELOPMENT
TIF RESOLUTION
SUBMITTED FOR COUNCIL MEETING 06/20/06
This project is the redevelopment of the West Hills Plaza, a circa 1960s community retail center located in the southwest corner of the intersection of Brodhead Road (SR 3077) and University Boulevard (SR 3109) in Moon Township. The project contains approximately 135,000 sq. ft. in three retail buildings and two office buildings. The original retail anchors (S.S. Kresge and A&P Grocery) contained footprints of only 25,000 sq. ft. each. The redeveloped center will accommodate greater than 200,000 square feet of space for retail, restaurants, and entertainment uses. This project will employ over 500 people in the stores and restaurants. There will be approximately seven separate buildings arranged in a “village” format. Total construction costs are estimated at $33 million and the TIF funds will be used to pay for road improvements and a sanitary sewer upgrade.
Moon Township, the Moon Area School District, and the Developer have requested that Allegheny County cooperate and participate in the creation of a TIF Plan. The Municipality is expected to approve participation in the formation of a TIF Committee on July 5, 2006 and the School District is expected to approve participation in the formation of a TIF Committee on June 22, 2006. If the TIF Plan were to be approved, the County would be the sponsor and as such would conduct the public hearing and would be responsible to create the TIF District.
The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County requests that the Council of the County of Allegheny:
(a) consider a resolution of intent to explore the use of a tax increment financing (“TIF”) to fund a portion of the cost of the Project;
(b) appoint the Director of Economic Development, or his designee, as representative to the TIF Committee to work in preparing the TIF Proposal.